Georgia Gymnastics made a big move this season. They welcomed an elite gymnastics coach with a stellar career record, Cecile Landi, who was the mentor behind Team USA’s Paris success and Simone Biles’ ex-coach. However, the season with the GymDogs didn’t transpire the way she would have wanted. The No. 10 Georgia GymDogs concluded their season at the NCAA Washington Regional, placing third in session one of round two. But what followed was a massive blow: they lost a star performer just when stability was needed most.
On April 12, Georgia gymnast Naya Howard surprised fans with an announcement on Instagram, stating, “To start, I want to share that I will not be continuing gymnastics at Georgia.” This was a gut punch for many, especially considering Naya made history as their first freshman all-arounder since 2017. Despite battling injuries, she had performed exceptionally well last season, scoring beautiful 9.900s in multiple events. But just when things looked bleak, there was a joyous update for Landi’s GymDogs.
While the dust was still settling from Howard’s departure, standout Class of 2026 gymnast Autumn Reingold made headlines by being crowned the regional bars champion. Georgia Gymnastics’ Instagram page shared their excitement with a post: “Huge congrats to future GymDog Autumn Reingold on being named a regional champion on the bars!” This message was promptly shared by Cecile Canqueteau-Landi herself on her Instagram story.
Clearly, Landi recognizes the gem they’ve secured in Reingold. This four-star recruit from Texas, who trained at the World Champions Centre (the same facility where Simone Biles perfected her craft), brings an impressive résumé to Athens. As a 2024 DP National Team member, she dominated state competitions with top-five placements across all events and clinched first in all-around. Her regional performance was equally stunning, scoring 9.825 on bars to clinch her second straight title. Reingold also qualified for the Nastia Cup, taking second on bars and fifth on the floor.
On the other hand, Naya Howard’s decision to leave was unexpected. In her announcement, she explained, “After some reflection, I’ve decided to explore new places and opportunities that feel more in line with the direction I see for myself moving forward.” Despite this, she reassured her followers that this wasn’t the end for her gymnastics journey, stating, “but I got more in the tank.”
Meanwhile, Georgia coach Cecile Landi is already looking ahead: “We are going to use this to fuel our work and get ready for next year! Go Dawgs!”
